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Polish Slang Phrases - Elephant Me! - Huh?!!



Sparkle_RavelleThreads: 4
Posts: 15
Joined: Jan 10, 10 ♀ 		 Jun 4, 10, 23:16    #1
Hey, I came across this the other day:

Ze słownika polskiego emigranta

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzMTvcYncDc

It seems a lot of Polish words have doubel meanings ;) But what does 'Elephant Me' mean??!
f stopThreads: 28
Posts: 2,681
Joined: Dec 9, 09 Pictures: 1 ♀ 		 Jun 4, 10, 23:27    #2
it's kind of dumb:
zasłoń mnie
słoń = elephant
internaldialogThreads: 9
Posts: 427
Joined: Apr 25, 10 ♀ 		 Jun 4, 10, 23:30    #3
lolz at the there's no dick in the village reminded me of a thread on studentrooms earlier on :)

but yeh wtf is Elephant Me -- unless its a euphemism for something??
kondziorThreads: 2
Posts: 399
Joined: Oct 16, 09 ♂ 		 Jun 4, 10, 23:36    #4
Fortepian można zasłonić lecz słonia nie można zafortepianić.

The piano can be covered but elephatnt cannot be pianoed.
f stopThreads: 28
Posts: 2,681
Joined: Dec 9, 09 Pictures: 1 ♀ 		Edited by: f stop  Jun 4, 10, 23:50    #5
but the song is a riot! Even though it's very deprecating, I might attempt to translate. LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDLaFvmkGwg&feature=related
wildroverThreads: 180
Posts: 8,143
Joined: Jun 7, 07 ♂ 		 Jun 5, 10, 02:07    #6
kondzior:
The piano can be covered but elephatnt cannot be pianoed.


Eh...? what the heck does it mean...?

I have heard the expression..... You can take a duck to water...but you can,t make it president... didn,t understand that one either...?????
f stopThreads: 28
Posts: 2,681
Joined: Dec 9, 09 Pictures: 1 ♀ 		Edited by: f stop  Jun 5, 10, 02:21    #7
kondzior:
Fortepian można zasłonić lecz słonia nie można zafortepianić.

to me, it loosly means that not everything goes both ways, or, not always the reverse is true. It's a play on words, based on the fact that "to cover" and "elephant" sound the same in Polish.

But back to the song! I just found out that it's like 4 years old, and it's the funniest thing I've heard in along time. Polish men with a biting sense of humor is a new discovery for me!
No disrespect to present company. Yo. :)
SeanusThreads: 22
Posts: 30,160
Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂ 		 Jun 6, 10, 18:49    #8
Wouldn't it be zasłonięte? Many I'm confusing this with another word but I think it means covered.
nottThreads: 6
Posts: 1,271
Joined: Jun 2, 10 ♂ 		 Jun 6, 10, 20:01    #9
Seanus:
Wouldn't it be zasłonięte? Many I'm confusing this with another word but I think it means covered.


Different syntax here in Polish and English sentences.

1. Fortepian można zasłonić lecz słonia nie można zafortepianić.
2. Piano (one can) cover but elephant (one can't) piano.
3. The piano can be covered but elephatnt cannot be pianoed.
4. Fortepian może być zasłonięty, ale słoń (nie może) być zafortepianiony.

#2 is word by word translation of #1.
#3 is modification of#2, to make it sound more natural in English.
#4 is word by word translation of #3, sounds a bit awkward in Polish.
SeanusThreads: 22
Posts: 30,160
Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂ 		 Jun 6, 10, 20:12    #10
Hmm....it just seemed more plausible. Thanks :)
NomsenseThreads: -
Posts: 47
Joined: Sep 20, 09 ♂ 		 Jun 8, 10, 02:17    #11
f stop:
based on the fact that "to cover" and "elephant" sound the same in Polish

Oh really? Since when "słoń" and "zasłoń" sound the same?
trener zolwiaThreads: 5
Posts: 2,786
Joined: Jun 8, 10 ♂ 		 Jun 8, 10, 05:19    #12
The Polish are different...
f stopThreads: 28
Posts: 2,681
Joined: Dec 9, 09 Pictures: 1 ♀ 		 Jun 8, 10, 05:42    #13
Nomsense:
Oh really? Since when "słoń" and "zasłoń" sound the same?

sarcasm on <awww... an earnest invitation to a productive discussion> sarcasm off
I'll pass.
POLENGGGsThreads: 5
Posts: 211
Joined: Apr 26, 10 ♂ 		 Jun 8, 10, 14:53    #14
"Polish Slang Phrases" - LOL

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